Vanadium compounds which contain the VO radical, have rarely been used in phara:acology. U.S. Pat. No. 2,135,11 suggests that vanadyl lactate and possibly other vanadyl carboxylates have anti-septic and in particular insecticidal and fungicidal properties
Jorgen Kieler et al, Acta Chir.Scan Suppl ,1965,343, 154 reported on the antineoplastic effect of vanadium salts in mice and suggested that vanadium compounds might be of value in the treatment of neoplasia
Henry J. Thompson et al--Carcinogenesis, Vol. 5, No. 6, pp. 849-851, 1984--reported that dietary vanadyl (IV) sulfate inhibits chemically-induced mammary carcinogenesis in rats.
These disclosures do not appear to have led to the use of vanadium compounds for the stated purposes
Sulfur and its derivatives, on the other hand, have a long history of pharmaceutical utility. Thus for example, besides the sulfa drugs and sulfur itself, thiosulphates find pharmacological applications in the treatment of cyanide poisoning, allergic conditions and drug sensitization caused by gold, arsenic, mercury or bismuth preparations. Magnesium thiosulphate tablets and injectable aqueous solutions are marketed for treatment of shock, medicax:ent intolerance and anaphylactic conditions due to serums or vaccines among other things
Sulfite compounds also display some pharmacological activity such as against certain parasitic and infectious conditions. Recently, German patent publication No. 3,419,686 disclosed sulfite or bisulfite solutions for treating ar.thritis or epilepsy, and PCT Int. Appl. WO 84 02,527 claims increased antitumour activity for adriamycin and daunomycin with the addition of sulfites, acid sulfites, pyrosulfites, dithionites and/or anhydrous sulfites.
The applicant has surprisingly found that the combination of ionic vanadium with a thiosulphate or sulfite is effective for the treatment and often prevention of a variety of pathological conditions, to an extent not possible before. This combination is effective against some conditions quite different from those for which vanadium, thiosulphates, or sulfites alone have been proposed.